


Liar, Liar

by Ashiepants



Series: Head Over Feet [34]
Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Babysitting, Cannoli - Freeform, Cheating, Dating, F/M, Gay, Gen, M/M, McBarba, Romance, Sonny & Alex, Sonny is a dummy, gay relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-01
Updated: 2016-04-01
Packaged: 2018-05-30 15:41:00
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,315
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6430420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ashiepants/pseuds/Ashiepants
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sonny had brought too much home with him. Alex takes an unlikely gig. Rafael has an admission.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Liar, Liar

Liar Liar

Walt balanced two coffee cups from the little local place he liked near Raf's. He had a bag of donuts in hand and today's paper under his arm. His phone buzzed from his pocket and he groaned. He set the coffees on top of an abandoned newspaper vending machine and dug his phone out. He worried it was Raf wondering where he snuck off to but it was his sister set on ruining a perfectly good Sunday morning. It continued incessantly but he decided answering it now would save future headache. 

"Al?" He asked. 

"What're you doing?" She asked nonchalantly. 

"Kind of in the middle of something." 

She laughed. "Are you having sex?"

He rolled his eyes and finally fitted his phone between his shoulder and ear, while holding his wares. "C'mon! You're not out with the boy?"

"He's studying. I was sent away when I suggested strip quizzes. That's when I lose a piece of clothes when he gets something right and-"

"I think I get the picture." Walt smirked.

"You wanna go get lunch or go thrifting. Or to the natural history museum, there's an exhibit on disease-"

"We went yesterday." He answered. 

She paused a minute. "With Barba?"

"With Rafael." He corrected. 

"Sorry, Sonny always calls him Barba. So a whole weekend, huh?" 

"Yeah." He couldn't hide his grin. "I'm on my way back there now."

"Oh a sleepover." He could hear her smirk. 

"Grow up Alex!" He yelled struggling to keep his balance with his items. "You should go see mom if you're so bored."

"Mom?"

"Ya know, dark haired lady, looks like you pushed you ungrateful brat out of her body."

Alex laughed. "I'm not ungrateful! She was down the week after New Years. Sonny made...I don't know what it's called. It had chicken. Whatever. It's too soon. She'll think I'm dependent if I go visit."

"Well then, you need new friends. I gotta go."  
He announced as he reached Rafael's building. 

"Walt!"

"Read a book!" He yelled before finally hanging up. 

He awkwardly held the phone in his hand with the bag of pastries keeping his eye on the coffees as he pushed into the building backwards. He saluted the desk clerk. 

"803?" He called. 

Walt nodded. He hoped the staff recognizing him meant something. He took the quick elevator ride up and whistled to himself. They were progressing in baby steps but progressing nonetheless. Walt had to remind himself to relax and not ask too much too soon. He didn't have to rush because he was running off to a foreign base. Connecticut wasn't far away, maybe for once he could enjoy the newness. 

He juggled again as he fought Rafael's keys from his pocket. He slowly coaxed the lock to turn and came inside immediately setting the coffees on the table near the door, followed by the donuts and his phone, which immediately started ringing.

"I'm here!" Walt called figuring it was Rafael. 

He didn't respond and the phone continued buzzing. Walt sighed and grabbed it. Why did everyone want his attention when all he wanted was to be alone with his boyfriend. 

"Sonny?" Walt answered slightly annoyed. "Aren't you supposed to be studying?"

"What? Yeah..." Sonny sounded confused. 

"Al already called me this morning. She's totally lost without you." 

"What a losah!" Sonny laughed. "Yeah well about that. So her 30th is on Wednesday and da party is Friday but-"

"Can we do this later?" Walt asked impatiently as Raf finally emerged from his bedroom in a t-shirt and boxers, hair mussed from the pillow. He smiled vaguely at Walt, clearly surprised but happy Walt didn't leave. 

"Yeah yeah, but should we do something for her like on the day?" Sonny continued anyway. 

"Take her to dinner or something. I don't know."

"Should it be like a family thing? Ya ma and Hen-"

"Dominick, seriously!" Walt yelled. Rafael laughed. 

"Sorry." Sonny apologized. "Call me tomorrow."

"Yeah." Walt hung up with an aggravated look.

Rafael came over to his side and enveloped him. Walt couldn't help his grin. 

"It's too early for a look like that." Rafael added sleepily. 

"It's my sister and her boyfriend!" He refused to use their names. "Sometimes I feel like a side character in the story of their lives."

"Did you bring me coffee?"

"From Misty's around the corner."

"Starbucks is around the corner. Misty's is 7 blocks away." He took the cup he offered with a smile anyway and took a sip. "I know because I counted when you dragged me there New Year's Day."

"It's not my fault you and Alex did tequila shots all night." Walt smirked. "Besides a few more blocks for coffee you know didn't kill some poor Colombian farmer is worthwhile."

"You're so altruistic Walter." Rafael smirked. "What else did you bring me?"

"Donuts, the Wall Street journal, and this..." He pointed to his grin.

"That's the best part." Rafael craned up to kiss him. "Thanks. Now let's go enjoy this in the bed."

Walt followed him back to the bedroom. He took off his pants leaving him in just boxers and t-shirt for comfort. He set his shoes carefully by the door and folded his jeans. Rafael smirked. 

"At ease soldier."

Walt grinned lopsided and joined him in the spot he made for him. 

"I have to admit, Misty makes damn good coffee." Rafael sipped. 

Walt nodded. He sipped his own coffee and took a donut out of the bag. Rafael didn't open up the paper. He lounged against the pillows and watched Walt instead. 

Walt turned when he felt his eyes. "What?"

Raf shrugged. 

"Are you stoned?" Walt laughed. 

Rafael scrunched up his nose. "No."

"I don't think I've ever seen you relaxed."

"I'm not sure I remember the last time I was." He grinned. "Must be you."

"Well good to know I have the same sedative powers of a Xanax." Walt raised an eyebrow. "Which, by the way, you should look into..."

He looked over at him. Raf shrugged. Walt grinned again and rubbed his shoulder. 

"So you coming with me to Alex's party?"

Rafael sighed. "I don't know...New Years eve was a little out of control."

Walt visibly pouted but said nothing. 

"Walter don't start."

"I'm not starting. You treat me like a child sometimes." Walt glared. "It's fine."

"We'll see." He bargained. 

Walt struggled. He wanted to insist on a concrete answer but he knew it didn't have to be so dramatic. They weren't in ultimatum stage. He just didn't want to hear his brother or sister when he showed up stag. He knew they both assumed this was a doomed little fling and Walt refused to believe that. He intended on waiting out Rafael and the baggage. 

Walt nodded. 

"What're you getting her?" Rafael changed the subject. 

He shrugged. 

"She's turning 30!" Raf insisted. "That's a milestone."

"One I don't think she wants to commemorate." Walt smirked. "I don't want to turn 30!"

"Oh don't worry, you've clearly made a deal with the devil. You'll be 28 forever."

"I'm 27."

"For now." Rafael smirked. "You should get your sister something nice."

"Why are we talking about my sister?"

"You brought up her birthday." He shrugged.

"Well I don't wanna talk about Alex or Sonny-"

"No argument there."

"Or work."

Rafael smiled. "What should we talk about?"

"We shouldn't talk." Walt covered his mouth with his. 

"Mmm." Rafael groaned.   
****  
"Ey," Sonny sauntered in Monday morning with a box of cannoli in his hands. 

Chuck was posted in his usual spot, but surprisingly he was in earlier than Sonny. 

"Cannoli, Carisi? Who's ass you kissin'?" Kennedy got up to grab one. 

Sonny dropped it on his desk as Chuck reached in earning him a short sound of admonishment. Mike Dodds walked out of the lieutenant's office with a grimace. 

"Carisi--" he began. 

Before he continued Rollins arrived with a cacophony of noise. Jessie was in the sling across the front of her, screaming her head off. 

"I know, I'm late." She groaned. "My sitter never showed and- Jess!"

Sonny grinned and went towards the screaming child as Dodds and Kennedy moved away. 

"Here," Sonny reached out his arms to her. 

Amanda shrugged and released the straps to release her daughter to Sonny. "Go for it."

"Hey Jessie," Sonny rocked the bundle. "You look into dat swaddling thing Al was talking about?"

Amanda continued to look stressed and annoyed. "Yeah I mean I tried."

Sonny frowned sympathetically. He smiled at Jessie and rocked her. 

"Is Liv in--?"

"I thought that might be you." Olivia raised her eyebrow at her detectives crowded around the baby. 

"I'm gonna take her to daycare downstairs. I just wanted to give her time to chill out." Amanda explained ruefully. 

"If you need a babysitter," Chuck said through a mouthful of cannoli. "I'm sure Carisi is available."

Sonny pouted and rolled his eyes. 

"Actually I need Carisi." Mike answered. 

"I can call Al, she's off all day." Sonny offered. 

Amanda frowned. "Yeah I'm sure your girlfriend wants to spend her day off watching my--"

Sonny shrugged "I'm sure she won't mind. She loves babies."

"I'll just take her downstairs--" she reached for her daughter.

Sonny had already reached for his phone one handed and had it up against his ear. "Al?"

"This better be good Carisi!" Alex answered groggily. 

"Kind of an emergency..."

"Emergency?" Her voice was immediately awake. 

"We need a sitter for Jessie." Sonny explained. 

Alex's guard dropped. "Jessie? Rollins?"

"No, Jesse Katsopolis!" He rolled his eyes. 

Alex laughed. "I guess-"

Amanda grabbed the phone from Sonny. "Alex? I'm sorry for this. I wouldn't ask unless it was--"

"It's not a problem. I was just gonna sit around and eat all day." She assured her. 

"I can pay you."

"Pay me?!" Alex almost sounded offended. "You don't have to pay me Amanda. I'll be down in about an hour. Can you hold off 'til then?"

Amanda looked at Sonny holding her daughter. Jessie had calmed down and Amanda still didn't know how he did that. 

"Yeah, you're a lifesaver Alex."

"No problem, hand Sonny the phone please."

"Al?" Sonny answered as he and Amanda traded baby for phone. 

"You know your girlfriend works 12 hour shifts and did overtime all weekend?" She shot at him. 

Sonny nodded even though she couldn't see his face. "Yeah."

"Just checking," Alex would be rolling her eyes if he could see her. "I'll see you in an hour?"

"Yeah if I'm still here."

"Okay. Love you." Alex signed off. 

"Love you too, babe." Sonny hung up and slipped his phone into his back pocket. He blushed realizing everyone had their eyes on him. He grimaced bashfully. 

"Sweet, Carisi." Mike gave him a small smirk. "I need you to come with me down to Morrison project."

"Morrison? Again? Dat's where Kirkland was abusing boys."

"Apparently it's a breeding ground for sexual assault." Mike answered. 

Sonny frowned and looked up at Liv. 

"Something wrong Carisi?"

"No," he gave her a short nod. "I just need to talk to you."

"Well put a pin in it. You both need to head down to the project."

Sonny nodded.  
****  
"I gotta go upstairs to the archives. Alex will be here any minute, you think you can hold her a few minutes?" Amanda asked Chuck at his desk a few feet over. So far, she'd been working with the baby in hand while she waited for Carisi's girlfriend. 

Chuck almost looked around to ask 'who me?' "Ehh Rollins I'm-"

"You'll be fine, if Sonny can do this anybody can." She was already pushing her off into his burly arms. 

"You sure she's gonna be here soon?"

Amanda looked at her watch. "Yeah, any minute! Thanks Kennedy."

She strode off to the elevators quickly and Chuck was left staring at the tiny girl. She was asleep, this couldn't be too hard. 

"If you like Carisi you must like anybody, huh kid?" He grinned. She was cute. 

Jessie started whimpering awake as he moved her in his arms. 

"Whoa hey, don't--" he urged and rocked her gently. She opened her eyes and started to cry as she looked up at the unfamiliar mass. 

"Hey Jess, no tears." He attempted to soothe. "C'mon...how about a song?"

He started singing the first song that came to his mind simply because it was on the radio when he woke up. 

"...on a steel horse I riiide," he warbled. "I'm wanted, waaanted, dead or aliiveee!"

"Oh so you're a cowboy on top of being a cop, huh?" Alex surprised him. She was right behind him peering at the baby. "Sarah's never dated a cowboy. A drugstore cowboy, possibly."

He rolled his eyes as she laughed. "I was just trying to calm the screamer down. And I'm not dating Sarah."

"Okay." She continued grinning and tipped her imaginary hat towards him. "I can take that."

"That? She's a kid."

It was Alex's turn to roll her eyes as he handed her over anyway. "Cowboy with a heart of gold?"

"Nice glasses." He shot noticing her plastic frames. 

Alex grimaced. "My eyes were tired I had to take my contacts off before I left."

"You work all night?"

"Oh you're here!" Amanda came back into the squad room, setting a box on her desk. 

"I got off at 7." Alex smiled. 

"7? This morning?" Amanda looked alarmed. 

"Oh don't worry. I'm fine." Alex assured her. "I do a lot of things on 2 hours of sleep. I'm a nurse, I'm used to it. Jessie's getting an overqualified babysitter that's for sure."

Amanda smiled. "I'll owe you one."

"I'll find a way to hold you too that."

"I'm sure you and Slim will have an army one day," Chuck laughed from his desk.

Alex rolled her eyes, "well not anytime soon."

"Wait as long as you want." Amanda grimaced. 

Alex laughed and bounced Jessie, "but we love Jessie."

Amanda smirked at Chuck who was smiling at her daughter. "Not so bad, Chuck?"

He shook his head with a smile. "Kinda reminds me of--"

Jessie made a loud shriek of discomfort. Alex pulled her tighter. 

"I can pick her up around 6?"

Alex nodded, "sure."

She went to Sonny's desk intent on leaving him a hello. She quickly found a pad of sticky notes to attach one to his desk when she noticed the cannoli. 

"Sonny brought these?" She grinned. 

Amanda shrugged. 

Chuck answered, "He came in with them."

Alex pulled out one of the treats with a smile and took a bite. The lid fell closed and she noticed the neat scrawl and especially the little heart on top of the box. 

'<3 Carla.'

Alex stopped mid bite. She looked up at Chuck but didn't expect he'd have an answer. She put the half bitten-into cannoli back in the box and stared at the lid again when it closed. She looked at Amanda but didn't even want to admit to her that she was nervous about Sonny. 

Amanda noticed anyway, "what's wrong?"

Alex quickly smiled and recovered. "Nothing. Jessie and I are on our way."

Amanda smiled back. 

Alex walked back over to her desk and Amanda grinned again as she got up. "Bye bye baby. Be good for Alex."

"Oh I'm sure she won't but I can forgive her."

Amanda gave Jessie a kiss on the forehead. "Call me for anything. You have my number?"

"Yes." Alex nodded reassuringly and gathered up the diaper bag and sling Amanda gave her. 

"Okay." Amanda sighed. "I gotta get back to work. Thanks again Alex."

"Later, Cowboy." Alex smirked at Chuck. 

He rolled his eyes back, "later, four eyes."

She side eyed him as he grinned and she left out the door and down the elevator. 

Outside Alex clutched her charge in the cold air but she frowned. Who was Carla? Why is she giving Sonny cannoli and signing it with a heart? She took a breath and walked forward. 

"Cmon, Jess." Alex snuggled the baby girl. "Let's go home."  
****  
'It's not snooping,' Alex told herself. 'It's checking...'

Sonny wouldn't be home for hours yet and Jessie was sleeping peacefully on the makeshift bed Alex made for her on the couch. The fears or worries or whatever she was calling them had continued to plague her, but until today and the cannoli she didn't have a real reason to feel that way. He wasn't necessarily acting out of the ordinary. In fact things had been really nice. It had started to feel cozy, meaning Alex would stay at his place more than he stayed at hers. She even had a drawer dedicated to her scrubs, some underwear, and the old t shirts she wore to bed when she wasn't wrapped in Sonny or his police shirt. That felt like relinquishing just a tiny bit of the control Alex thought she had. 

It was just recently she'd noticed his possessiveness of his phone. He'd contemplate new messages and then pretend it was fine. He'd answer the phone in the other room. It felt off and she didn't want to trust her gut. She wanted to believe it was her imagination. Maybe Sarah was right, it was her insecurities flaring, telling her to swim for shore before the boat got too far out. 

She logged into Facebook with his credentials. He gave those over months ago when she ridiculously complained that if he was reading hers she should read his. She had actually done it because she knew he wasn't hiding anything. At least up until now she thought that. She felt nervous doing this. This is what crazy girlfriends do. They stalk their own boyfriends and have no self control. 

She glanced at the notifications and saw 3 messages pending to be read. Alex chewed her lip and sighed. On the top of the timeline was something from her own mother, an article about climate change, typical Rose. She smiled at the thought of Sonny being Facebook friends with her mom. He had even liked it. She grinned fully and logged out. She couldn't do this. 

She took a deep breath and decided that talking to him about it might be a better solution, not snooping. 

'That's really grown up, Al.' She praised herself. 

She logged back in to her own account and went looking for the article her mom posted this morning. 

'Do something productive like get depressed about the planet.'

After a few minutes she clicked back to Sonny's profile anyway, if only just to look at his profile picture, currently a goofy picture from Christmas wearing the Mets Santa hat Bella gave him. He was such a dork. Maybe this was nothing, but then who signs with a heart. 

She scrolled down trying to remember the last time he'd actually updated his status. Second post down after a meme from one of the many cousins Alex had yet to meet was from Carla Fletcher. Her heart sank. Carla. Was this "love Carla"?

"I hope we can continue to grow our relationship. Thank you again."

Alex took a sharp breath. She read the message over a half a dozen times but was still surprised to feel tears stinging her eyes. She thought about every time Sonny turned over his phone and answered "no one" or "nothing" or "my sister." She felt sick. She dug her phone from her pocket and quickly dialed. 

"Hey!" Sarah answered in a sugary voice. 

Alex couldn't keep her voice from shaking. "H-hi"

"What's the matter?" Her tone changed immediately. 

"He's cheating on me!"

"Alex--"

"I'm looking right at it. He...I'm not making it up!"

"You're looking at what?"

"His Facebook. This woman...she said that she hopes they can 'grow their relationship'! I mean what the fuck is that?"

"What woman?" Sarah asked patiently. 

"This Carla woman! This morning I was at the precinct and she brought him cannolis!"

"You saw her?" Sarah sounded shocked. 

"No." Alex shook her head. "No it was on the box. She wrote love Carla, with a little heart and everything."

"What the fuck?"

"Is this what I get?" Alex attempted to bat away tears with her eyelashes.

Sarah was angry. "For what? You don't deserve this!"

"For...I don't know. For falling in love!"

"Al!"

"But he's cheating on me!" Alex sobbed. "What did I do wrong?"

"Why do you think it's your fault? Maybe Sonny is a fucking idiot!"

Alex swallowed. The world was upside down. Up until this moment she could believe this was her problem. That this feeling was some kind of growing pains associated with a relationship lasting over 6 months. 

"Alex?" Sarah asked. 

"What?" She yelled and Jessie immediately started crying at the noise. "Oh fuck. Shh."

"Um, did you adopt?"

"It's Jessie." Alex explained picking her up and rocking her. "Sonny's co-worker's kid."

"You're babysitting?"

Alex ignored her question. "What do I do? Do I call him? Yell at him?"

"Are you mad?"

"Yes!" She sighed and second thought it. "And...hurt. It's hurts."

"I know baby." Sarah sighed. 

"I wanna kill him! Why would he do this to me?" She started to sob causing Jessie to cry with her. "Shh, I'm sorry Jess, don't cry."

"Neither of you need to cry over this. You just calm down and take care of the baby. Then talk to Sonny when he gets home. When does he get home?"

"I dunno? After 6?" She took a breath. 

"It'll be okay, Lex."

Alex didn't really believe that. That's one of those things you say. "Okay."

She wanted to call her brothers, but she was also afraid of how they might react. She wanted to hurt Sonny somehow but not completely maim him. Mostly she felt stupid. This is what happens to people like her in relationships. They get cheated on and stomped all over. Even by 'nice guys' like Sonny Carisi. 

"I'll come by later if you need me to."

"Can you come over now?" Alex knew she sounded pathetic asking. 

"I'm across town. I'll call you in a little while."

"Alright. I'll call you after I talk to him." Alex sighed once again and looked into Jessie's little blue eyes. It was hard to be unhappy with a baby in your arms. 

"It'll be fine." Sarah added and hung up. 

Alex put her phone down and slammed her laptop shut for good measure. She rocked Jessie in her arms and smiled at her. 

"We need snacks." She explained walking her into the kitchen. 

She opened a cabinet or two but didn't see what she was looking for. 

"Ya know Jessie, uncle Sonny has some pop tarts at his place. Let's go commit some petty theft." She smirked. "Then we'll get you a bottle."  
****  
As Sonny knocked on doors looking for anyone who might have seen their suspect on Sunday morning, he couldn't help thinking about Carla Fletcher. The cannoli left for him at the desk this morning was 3 notches above appropriate and besides that he was getting irritated having to dodge her calls all the time. He'd made up his mind to talk to Liv about it and then Dodds pulled him out to the Morrison project. How convenient that's where she lived. It would be par for the course that he'd run into her, despite the size of the place. 

He and Mike split up, finding most neighbors unwilling to talk to police or not at home this time of the morning. He exited the building he just finished, shaking his head. He never understood how people could still be distrustful of cops when there was a rapist somewhere amongst them. 

"Sonny!"

He turned to see the small brunette grinning and walking towards him with a bag of groceries in her arms. He grimaced as she reached him.

"Hey Carla," he gave her a brief wave. There was something to be said for his intuition. 

She continued to grin wide. "What brings you here?"

Sonny pursed his lips and avoided eye contact. "A case...I--"

She cut him off, "did you get my gift this morning? The cannoli?"

"Yeah..." he started to get annoyed. "Listen, Carla you need to stop!"

"What?" Her face broke into confusion. 

Sonny coughed, still not looking at her face. "I'm not...interested."

"But you're so..."

Dodds noticed Sonny standing with her and rolled his eyes. 

He walked over to the younger detective with annoyance. "Takin' a break, Carisi? Who's this? Alex know about her?" He smirked. 

Carla looked confused. "Who's Alex?"

"Sarge, dis is Carla Fletcher, we helped her son a few months ago."

"Mike Dodds." he held out his hand to her. "I hope everything's been alright with you since."

Carla nodded but kept her eyes on Sonny, "You have a girlfriend!?"

"Yeah, I have a girlfriend!" he answered with a hint of sass.

"Carisi, you done asking the neighbors?" Dodds interrupted, looking curiously at the pair of them. 

"No," he pouted. 

"Yeah, well finish up so we can get back." He ordered, giving Sonny one raised eyebrow. "Nice meeting you Carla."

"Yeah." She smiled and adjusted her bag. 

"I gotta get back to work." Sonny shifted to start to move away from her.

"You didn't tell me that--" she started with a hurt expression after Mike left. 

"I don't have to tell you!" He yelled, looking at her directly. "Carla, I'm sorry if you got da wrong idea but you need to stop callin' me and the gifts. I'm here to help Miles and you get back on your feet but...not dis."

"I'm sorry." She looked crestfallen. "I thought--"

"I really gotta get back to work." He cut her off. "Thanks for the cannoli."

He left her abruptly. She continued staring as he walked away from her.   
****  
Sarah's heels clicked as she clipped quickly down the hall at the police station. She considered turning around for a split second, realizing how inappropriate it was for her to be there but was almost instantly mollified by righteous indignation. That she would almost certainly run into Ken was an added bonus and there's no way he could ignore her in person like he'd ignored her texts and calls. Not looking this cute.

After defending Sonny to Lexi all week she was feeling almost as betrayed as Alex. She had begun to trust that he was going to care for her the way she needed and deserved to be. It was Sonny who wanted to make Al's birthday special and it was Sonny who sought Sarah's help and approval. Her lip curled to think that was a careful ruse. He was going to feel the sting of Sarah's wrath. It was far less than he deserved if he really was cheating on her.

She sauntered up to an official looking desk where a cute girl was just hanging up the phone. "Hi, can you point me in the direction of the Special Victims Unit?"

An expression of sympathy flitted across the girl's face. "Third floor and to the left. You can take the elevator." She pointed.

Sarah winked, "Thanks."

She stepped out of the elevator and turned towards the large letters signifying the special victims unit. 

Kennedy looked up at the purple hued locks with confusion. "Sar-"

She held up a single digit and moved past him to the desk occupied by Sonny Carisi, buried in his iPad. He looked up when he felt her presence. Sarah was glaring at him. 

Sonny’s face shifted from mild surprise to furrowed brows. "What?"

"What?!" She repeated furiously, thumping the back of his skull with her open hand.

"Ow, what the hell-"

"Whoa!" Chuck stood up and walked towards them but Sarah gave him a look that stopped him in his tracks.

"Who the fuck do you think you are!?" She yelled.

Sonny looked up in surprise.

"You wanna tell me who Carla is?! And your answer better be good, ‘cause I've been defending your skinny ass to your worried girlfriend all week."

"I..Uhhh. How did...?" Sonny stammered before getting his bearings, "Wait, why are you even HERE?!" He accused. "Dis is inappropriate, Sarah." 

Sarah looked threatening again and held up her hand. Sonny guarded his head with his hands.

"I was in the neighborhood when Lexi called me, in TEARS because she found some message on Facebook from this woman and can-" she looked at the desk where the pink bakery box with Carla's name was still sitting. "And cannoli!"

Kennedy whistled under his breath from the next desk over.

Sarah rounded on him, "Can it, old man. You're next."

"Alex saw dese?" He answered breathing out hard. He shut his eyes. 

"Why do 'dese' exist!?" She pointed. 

Chuck shook his head and crossed his arms. "I can't believe you'd fuck around on that girl, man." 

Sonny pouted and sighed. "Carla is dat kid's mom, Miles, the one dat I saved--"

"And what, she's rewarding you?" Sarah continued to look menacing.

"And I told her today to leave me alone!" Sonny shook his head. 

Sarah smirked, "yeah well too late!"

Sonny dropped his head and groaned. This was what he had worked to avoid for weeks. 

"I gave her my number...in case she needed anything...help, ya know?" He attempted to explain. "And she called me around Christmas--"

"Since Christmas!?!"

Sonny put his hands up in surrender. "It backfired alright. But I didn't cheat on Alex!"

"Here," said Sonny, brandishing his phone resignedly. "Passcode's four zeros."

"Clever," Sarah rolled her eyes and snatched it from his hand and began reading.

Sonny sat by as she invaded his phone.

"Hey genius if a woman texts you at 3 in the morning she's trying to get on your dick," Sarah explained, reading the messages. 

"Sarah I know dat!" He rolled his eyes. "I tried to stop it. I wouldn't reply. I'd talk about her kid--"

"You didn't mention of your serious girlfriend!" She spit back. 

"Listen just because someone wants me doesn't mean I'm guilty of anything." Sonny shot back, not at all believing his own defense.

"But you didn't tell Alex shit! Which makes you a liar!" Sarah fumed. "Oh here's a choice message: don't worry I'll be right there by your side. You won't be alone."

Sonny scoffed and uncrossed his arms gesturing at his phone. "I was comforting a VICTIM!"

"Yeah over text on your personal phone. You're an idiot!"

Sonny continued to watch her scroll through his messages, arms folded. He felt more guilty as the minutes of her reading his phone wore on. Alex was going to kill him. 

Finally, she sighed, satisfied, and handed his phone back. "Could have been worse, Carisi. This shouldn't happen again, yeah?"

"Seriously, Sarah? Overreact much?" Sonny grumbled as he stowed his phone.

Sarah softened and lowered her voice leaning directly to his ear. "The last time she cried her dad had just died."

Sonny unfolded his arms. "Really?" A stone weighed in his stomach. 

"You seen her cry another time?"

"No," he answered quietly. "She's really upset?"

Sarah looked momentarily sorry. "I'm still on team Sonny, ok kid?" She punched him playfully on the shoulder.

"Yeah, bite me." Sonny was still annoyed but managed a smirk. He suddenly felt worried. He was going to ruin her birthday. He'd ruined everything. Carla did. 

"And what did we learn here today?" She asked, once again stern.

Sonny broke from his contemplative state. "That you're psychotic!"

Sarah punched his shoulder again harder. "No! Don't keep things from your girlfriend!"

Sonny rubbed his shoulder. "Alright. I got it!"

Sarah frowned. "You should call her."

He started to nod when the quiet was interrupted by the return of Amanda and Dodds from their lunch hour and the arrival of Fin who had taken the morning off. 

They all looked curiously at the purple haired girl in knee-high, high heeled boots, standing over Sonny's desk with her hands on her hips.

"Another girl Carisi?" Mike smirked when he reached his desk and raised his eyebrows at Sarah. 

Sarah scoffed, "he wishes!"

Chuck coughed. 

Sonny rolled his eyes at her as he reluctantly introduced her to squad. "Dis is Sarah, Al's best friend. She's helpin' me plan her surprise party. Which is Friday, if you guys wanna come."

Amanda smiled "yeah, can Alex babysit again?"

Sonny laughed. 

"If I can get a sitter it might be nice to get out." She confirmed. 

Fin shrugged and nodded. "For Alex."

"I could stop by for a drink." Mike nodded. 

"Oh yeah, alright." Sonny was mostly asking Amanda and Fin, but it would be alright for Dodds to stop in. He was positive Chuck would say no, especially with Sarah standing there. 

"What about you?" Sarah bit her lip as she looked at him. 

"I might have plans." Chuck answered, looking at his paperwork. 

She rolled her eyes. "Good for you! I gotta go, I was supposed to meet Walt like half hour...ago. Speaking of..."

She grinned as Rafael came in on Olivia's heels. She smiled knowingly at him. He groaned internally, but attempted to remain neutral. He kept his gaze off her. 

"Whole gang is here, huh?" Liv grinned. 

"Carisi was just inviting us all to Alex's birthday. Friday night." Fin added. 

Carisi grimaced. "If you want," he shrugged. 

Liv smirked. "I'll check my calendar."

She motioned to Rafael and he followed her into her office. They closed the door behind them. 

Liv smiled. "One big happy family out there. What're you doing Friday?"

Rafael swallowed and looked away. 

She raised and eyebrow. "I was thinking maybe we could get dinner, we don't have to go to her party."

"Actually I'm going to a birthday party that night."

"Really?" She asked nodding. "Anyone I know?"

It was now or never. He bit his lip a second and looked back up to meet her gaze. She looked a little baffled at his sudden apprehension. He usually didn't have to spend any time worrying about talking about his love life at work. There usually wasn't one to speak of, in the first place, but there was a little nag in him pushing him to tell Olivia. Of all people she would be the first to congratulate or commiserate. 

"Yes, Carisi's girlfriend--"

"Didn't know you guys were besties?" She laughed.

"She's close to...my boyfriend." He felt himself get a little bit pink. Liv couldn't hide her shock. 

"Well..." She sputtered. 

"Her brother." He explained, feeling himself tense every passing second. "Her younger brother."

"That's...gotta be a little close for comfort." She laughed. 

Rafael almost grinned. He released his breath, feeling relief he wasn't expecting. 

"So, what's the lucky guy's name?" She asked. 

"Walt."  
****  
Sonny attempted to straighten the stems of the flowers he picked up outside of the precinct that had already begun to wilt.

"You ready?" Amanda came off the elevator into the lobby. 

He frowned at his pathetic flowers but nodded. Amanda gave him a supportive look. 

"I hope she's not mad because you volunteered her for Jessie duty."

"No," he shook his head. "Not dat. I'm just an idiot."

"Well..." She laughed as she led the way to the car. 

"Thanks 'manda." He pouted. 

He wasn't sure what he was going to walk into. He tried calling as soon as he had a minute to himself but she didn't answer. She was upset, he knew and he felt guilty. He was guilty. After everything over Thanksgiving he thought the drama was behind them. He honestly expected only sunny days ahead. How naïve.

"So what did you do?" Amanda smiled over at her partner as he sat quietly the entire trip. 

He sighed. "Something dumb."

"Like what?" She pressed. 

He rolled his eyes. "C'mon--"

"We have at least 30 minutes of traffic to Brooklyn and all I have is a baby, I need to hear about adult problems." She insisted. 

Sonny laughed. 

"So tell me all about it." 

He sighed before beginning. He detailed how it started at Thanksgiving.

"So the woman at the courthouse?" Amanda looked surprised. "Well you were flirting with her!"

"I know but...I didn't expect it to get dis far."

She shrugged. "You're learning. Now you know not to be this close to a victim. I mean...you really should've known that."

He rolled his eyes. "I know."

"But I'm sure if you explain it like that to Alex--"

"Yeah, maybe." He looked at his flowers again. 

Amanda smiled at him again. "Carisi...Sonny..."

He looked at her. 

"You clearly really love her. That's all we really want. To know you think of her as number 1." 

He half smiled. "I'm just mad at myself. It's about to be her birthday and I tried to make this great surprise for her and now it's gonna be tainted by...dis stupid shit."

She put the car in park. "Well let me get my girl and we'll be outta the way so you can give her those sad daisies."

He groaned as he got out of the car. 

"I bet it's awful to be in a fight with someone who doesn't live with you but lives 2 steps away."

Sonny smirked as he lead the way into the building. "Tell me about it."

They reached the 3rd floor and Sonny knocked as he slipped his key in the lock. 

"Al?"

"Hold on...chain." She called and opened the door a second later. She was still in her glasses and wearing Sonny's hoodie with the sleeves pushed up to her elbows. 

Sonny sniffed. "Are you cooking?"

She shrugged "Latkes."

"Smells good." Amanda grinned. 

Alex smiled back. Amanda went right for Jessie on the couch surrounded by pillows. 

"There's my girl." She cooed. 

"I hope you don't mind," Alex avoided Sonny and turned to Amanda. "I swaddled her. It calmed her down."

"That's great!" She smiled. "So she was good?"

Alex nodded. "She's great."

"Thanks again!" Amanda picked up her things to get ready to leave. "I'm sorry we took your whole day."

"Distraction is good." Alex answered. 

Sonny frowned. 

"Have a good night, guys." She smiled again now that she was loaded up with Jessie in one arm and the diaper bag in the other. "Thank you again, Alex."

Alex just waved her off as Amanda walked out the door. She was left facing Sonny, who had remained near the door with his wilted flowers. She looked at him shrewdly but went back to the kitchen. He sighed and followed. 

"Al..."

"When did this start?" She asked tentatively touching the latkes for warmth. 

He sighed. 

"Alex--"

Her voice rose. "Tell me about her? Is she in love with you?"

He frowned. "She's a victim."

"Fan-tastic!"

"You got the wrong idea." He explained, he set the bundle of flowers on the counter.

"Did I?" She turned with fire in her voice and eyes. She pushed her glasses up as she glared. "That's who's been on the phone? That's why you've been so..."

"You noticed that?" His face fell. His stomach hurt. 

"Do you think I'm stupid?" Her lip curled. 

"No al, I wasn't...I wasn't cheating!"

"I fucking saw the cannoli, I saw her messages!"

He sighed. "Look it got outta hand."

"Outta hand?" She yelled her anger bubbling over and turning to upset. "Did you sleep with her?!"

"NO!" He cried. "No, al..." He sighed again. 

She was quiet, too upset to continue yelling. She needed to hear from him. 

"Her kid, Miles, I took the bullet for him." He attempted defend himself. "After what happened at Thanksgiving--"

"Thanksgiving!" She sobbed. "You did this because-"

"Please listen" he urged. 

Alex scowled. "Right, I need to listen to you even though you went behind my back and--"

"She texted me! She called me! It was innocent but then she started flirtin' and tryin' to get me to come over..." He sighed. 

Alex's lip quivered. 

He touched her shoulder. "I didn't encourage dis. I didn't want dis to happen. It was all her, I swear. I didn't do anything wrong!"

She rolled her eyes through her tears and snorted. "You didn't tell me..."

He squeezed her shoulder and rubbed with his thumb. "I'm sorry Al."

"But...I..." She struggled to keep her voice even as she tried to make it all make sense in her head. "You're not...?"

Sonny put his hand on her chin and lifted her face up towards his. "I wouldn't do that to you Al. I'm such a moron but--"

He stopped himself and swiped a tear that escaped down her cheek with his thumb, under her glasses. He frowned. 

"God, Al I'm an idiot. I don't want anyone else but you." 

She sucked in her tears. "I'm being such a drama queen right now."

Sonny laughed. "No, you're not. I'm sorry I made you cry."

"I shouldn't even be crying. This is so stupid." She argued, wiping her face. 

Sonny smirked. 

"I'm so fucking stupid."

"Because you were upset? I gave you every reason to be." His shoulders slumped. "From now on I won't take it home with me."

She gave him one of her mild glares through her tears. 

Sonny grinned. "C'mon I brought you flowers-"

"I hate flowers!" She maintained her pissy mood. 

He rolled his eyes. "Sarah told me dey were a bad idea."

"Well flowers don't fix it!" 

"No," he frowned. "They don't. What do you want me to do?"

"I don't...I dunno." She sighed. "C'mere."

He stepped closer. Alex wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his neck.

"Don't do that to me." She whispered. 

Sonny's face cracked into a grin as he wrapped his arms around her as well. "Never again!"

She pulled back. "Don't say never! Never is such a lie."

He pressed his forehead to hers as he rolled his eyes. "I'll try, then!"

"Okay."

"You gonna try for me?" He asked, they stood in the middle of the room with arms wrapped around each other. 

"I didn't do anything."

"C'mon, it's a two way street right? Don't go fallin' in love wit some patient or some sexy pediatrician!" His eyebrows raised and he moved past her to pick up a greasy latke, still slightly too hot. 

Alex sighed and a look of realization came over her face. "Johannson texts me sometimes."

His amused look turned into angry concern. "What?"

"Like when it's 2am Seattle time and he's been drinking. Nothing I can't handle." She shrugged. 

"Yeah...you coulda told me." Sonny looked a little bit hurt. 

Alex grimaced. "I don't text him back!"

He looked at her seriously with a cocked head and a raised eyebrow. "Oh really?"

She finally smirked. "Okay, you're right. He actually sent me a dick pic the other night."

"Really?!" Sonny's eyes widened and he took a bit of the latke. "Lemme see."

Alex almost laughed. "You wanna see his dick?"

He pouted his lips. "No..."

"Well I deleted it." She rolled her eyes. "But...I guess I can see how it gets away from you."

He gave her a small smile. 

"Here." She handed him her phone after opening it to messages from Alex. 

He just stared at the phone for a second. 

"Go on read it!" She urged. 

"I don't wanna read this!" He pushed the phone back. 

"Read it!" She pressed. 

"Why?" He laughed. "You want me to be jealous?"

"You are!"

"Yeah, I am." He closed the chat screen and handed her the phone. "I don't wanna read about what he wants to do to you or what he's thinking about. I..." He sighed. "I wanna eat my girlfriend's latkes and watch tv."

Alex grinned. Sonny pushed up her glasses on her nose and then grabbed the plate of fresh latkes and moved into the living room. 

"I'm totally gonna start calling it my latke, I am a Jew after all." She joked. 

"Netflix and oy vey?" Sonny smirked.


End file.
